"7-7--- 7777777,777.7.
As the Editor-
Views the News
A Program and a Duty
Anti-Semitic Quibbling
Admitting in a Vienna court that his
party advocates "moderate anti-Semitism,"
Herbert Kraus, chairman of the League of
Independent Voters in Austria, made a cur-
ious statement. During testimony in a libel
suit he is pressing against Erwin Rollett,
president of the Organization of Democratic
Journalists, who described the plaintiff as a
"neo-fascist," Kraus, asked whether he fav-
ored anti-Semitism, said he was 'opposed to
the Nazi form of anti-Semitism" but favored
"a milder form such as exists in the United
States."
This is a new wrinkle in the issue involv-
ing the leaders of the revived reactionary
movement in Austria. A spokesman for the
Vienna Jewish Community described the re-
marks on anti-Semitism by Kraus, who is
one of 15 deputies in the Austrian Parliament
representing the League of Independent
Voters, as a logical result of the Austrian
government's policy of permitting a "resurg-
ence of National Socialism." He maintained
that Kraus' statement proves that his League
is composed of former Nazis.
The chicanery with which the anti-Sem-
ites continue their propaganda is cause for
concern. They brazenly affirm an anti-
Semitic position but sanctimoniously cloak
their position in hypocritical piety by giving
the impression that they are merely pursu-
ing an American policy. What exactly is "a
milder form of anti-Semitism such as exists
in the United States ?" Is is the right to
"free speech" abused by bigots in this coun-
try who preach anti-Semitism ? It certainly
can not be proven as representing govern-
ment policy, with every clause in our Con-
stitution and the Bill of Rights ringing out
the forceful principles of equality for all
citizens.
But an anti-Semite apparently does not
need proof for his arguments. A Nazi has
only one policy : repeat a lie long enough and
people will accept it as truth. Therein lies
the danger of the approach made by the
"resurgent National Socialism" in Austria
and in Germany. If the lie is permitted to
spread, it will affect not only the surviving,
Jews in Europe but also the Jews of Amer-
ica. And if we are not on guard against it,
all of us will be caught in the mesh of the
Nazi lie.
Annual Book Month
In Detroit and in more than 500 Jewish
communities throughout the land, Jewish
Book Month will be inaugurated today.
Sponsored by the Jewish Book Council of
America, an agency of the Jewish Welfare
Board, Jewish Book Month aims to increase
interest in Jewish literary works, to encour-
age the purchase of books and the estab-
lishment of Jewish libraries, to inspire our
people in matters related to Jewish life
through the printed word.
By means of forums, lectures and ex-
hibits, Jewish Book Month will provide an
opportunity for tens of thousands of people
to become acquainted with literary trends
in American Jewish life and to bring to light
the many treasured volumes which have
been published in recent years.
Jewish Book Month should be utilized to
encourage greater support for movements
like the Jewish Publication Society which
has produced the outstanding Jewish clas-
sics—including the Bible and the works of
Israel Zangwill—and has given encourage-
ment to Jewish writers. It should direct at-
tention to the activities of Jewish publishers
who have made possible the printing of
books on strictly Jewish topics.
Book Month already has assumed an im-
portant place on the Jewish calendar. It
should become the concern of all of us in our
efforts to advance Jewish cultural values.
--
THE JEWISH NEWS
Member : American Association of English-Jewish News-
papers. Michigan Press Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing
Co. 708-10 David Stott Bldg., Detroit 26, Mich., WO. 6-1156.
Subscription $3 a veer: foreign
Entered as second class matter Aug. 6, 1942 at Post Office,
Detroit. Mich.. under Act of March 8, 1879.
PHILIP SLOMOV I'M. Editor
SIDNEY SHMARAK Advertising Manager
Vol. XVIII—No. 8
Pager November 3, 1950
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the twenty-fourth day of Hesh-
van, 5711, the following Scriptural selections will
be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuchal portion—Gen. 23:1-25:18.
Prophetical portion—I Kings 1:1-31.
Next Friday, Rosh Hodesh Kislev, Num. 28:1-
15 will be read during morning services.
'The Yiddish Press: An
Americanizing Agency'
In 1923, Dr. Mordecai Soltes, now professor of
community service at Yeshiva UniVersity, New
York, published a book which at once earned
an important place as an authentic study of the
Yiddish newspapers. Bloch Publishing Co. has
taken over the task of reprinting the volume
originally produced by Columbia University
Teachers College, and has just reissued it under
the title "The Yiddish Press: An Americaniza.
tion Agency."
Four-Point Program for Israel
Never before in the history of fund-raising in America
or in the record of communal planning has there been any-
thing to match the tremendous enthusiasm and the display
of devotion which was in evidence for four days at the Na-
tional Planning Conference for Israel and Jewish Rehabili-
tation in Washington, D. C., during the past week-end.
In spite of differences of opinion regarding the status
of campaign organizations, the determination of American
Jewry's leaders to bring order into the historic effort to help
Israel and to provide the means that are needed to support
the policy of keeping the Jewish state's doors open for un-
limited immigration has created an atmosphere of unprece-
dented enthusiasm.
It is important that the Jews of America should know
the content of the decisions arrived at. The four-point pro-
gram, aimed at securing four billion dollars for Israel during
the coming three years, provides for the following:
"1.—We believe that the American people, which is seeking
to strengthen the forces of democracy in every corner of the
world, is eager to aid Israel as a land of affirmative democratic
leadership and high moral inspiration. We therefore urge the
Government of the United States to help Israel through grants
in aid, loans and through other avenues of financial support
that have been mobilized by our Government to further the
cause -of democracy everywhere.
"2. The United Jewish Appeal, commanding the support of
all American Jews, has been and must continue to be our most
potent weapon in the rescue of hundreds of thousands of our
people, their rehabilitation in many lands and the settlement of
the vast majority in Israel. This Conference therefore calls on
all American Jews greatly to intensify their efforts on behalf
of the United Jewish Appeal so that there shall be made avail-
able the increased funds required for rescue, transport, recep-
tion and the initial stages of settlement in Israel.
"3.—The funds available through the United Jewish Appeal
can meet at most only basic relief and initial resettlement needs.
Therefore the conference calls upon the Jews of the United States
to provide other resources to enable Israel to realize its greatest
opportunities for the complete absorption of the newcomers
through its industrial and agricultural development. With full
confidence in Israel's capacity to achieve economic stability and
self-sufficiency and to fulfill all obligations it will assume, we
pledge our fullest cooperation for the success of any effort that
will be made by the Government of Israel to float a public loan
in the United States as a means of obtaining funds for the
financing of its constructive programs.
"4.—The progress which Israel has already registered in the
development of its economic structure and the favorable condi-
tions created by the Government of Israel for private invest-
ment should be made the basis for increased effort to encourage
American investors to participate in the expansion of business
enterprise which can bring profitable returns, and also serve as
a vital factor in Israel's attainment of self-sufficiency."
It is clearly indicated that the UJA at best meets only
the basic responsibilities. If the doors to Israel are to be kept
open, vast funds will have to be raised. -
Israel's spokesmen fulfilled their responsibilities in re-
markable fashion at the conference in Washington. Mrs.
Golda Myerson has retained her position as one of the best
loved interpreters of Jewish needs to the Jews of America.
But the highlight of the entire convention was the remark-
able address of Abba Eban, at the closing session of the
conference. Ambassador Eban raised the proceedings to
such great heights that new confidence arose and that the
representatives of American Jewry will work with ever-
increasing devotion to assure success for the projected
program.
The immediate responsibility of our communities is to
the United Jewish Appeal. The able leadership of Henry Mon-
tor was in evidence at the Washington conference. It was
equally clear that Mr. Montor's ability as supervisor of the
tremendous efforts for Israel are winning increasing support
from Jewish leaders.
A good beginning has been made. Now it is necessary to
translate resolutions, speeches and sentiments into action.
The time for quibbling is over. Now begins an era for re-
dedication to an idea which for a time seemed to meet with
apathy but which now rises to the fore again as the greatest
undertaking in the entire history of the Jewish people. With-
out sacrificing local needs. Israel must remain in the fore-
front as our major and basic responsibility—until such time
as the ghettos of Europe and Moslem countries are com-
pletely emptied and Israel is provided with means for securi-
ty and defense. ,• •
There are minor modifications in the next
edition—to indicate the decline over the years,
the disappearance of the Yid-
dish daily newspapers in Chi-,
cago, Philadelphia and Cleve-
land. But in the main the
book is the same—because the
facts are as valuable today as
they were when the book first
was published and are as en-
lightening in explaining the
Yiddish press as an American-
izing instrument.
Dr. Soltes shows in his re-
vised edition that younger
readers are not attracted to
the Yiddish journals. But he
makes the emphatic declara-
tion:
"Notwithstanding these
strictures or the length of
Dr. Soltes
the period during which the
Yiddish press is destined to function in our
midst, the judgment of history will pronounce
it a constructive, dynamic force in American
Jewish life. It has helped to fructify and en-
rich Jewish cultural creativity by opening its
columns to talented literary artists and cre-
ative souls the world over. - It has rendered an
enduring historical service by interpreting the
immigrant Jewish readers to America - and
vice verse . .. and has served as a powerful
factor and stabilizing influence in Jewish com-
munal enterprises."
"The Yiddish Press" makes a complete study
of the origin and growth of the Yiddish news-
papers, their political complexions and spheres
of influence. It makes a thorough study of the
Yiddish readers, the countries they come from,
the features they read, their degrees of natural-
ization, their familiarity with English.
Dr. Soltes evaluates the editorials in the Yid-
dish newspapers, the general content of feature
articles, the subjects dealt with. These studies
probe into the very soul of the Jewish community
of the early part of this century and reveal the
attitudes of Jews on political issues. on Jewish
matters, on socialism, Zionism and world prob-
lems.
The able author recognizes that the number
of Yiddish readers is declining. He expresses the
view that as soon as a forceful English-Jewish
daily will make its appearance, the circulation
of Yiddish newspapers will decline even more
drastically.
"The Yiddish Press" is an interesting study.
Its statistical tables are enlightening and serve-
the book well. The new edition of Dr. Soltes'
book should attract large reader interest.
'How to Write a Novel'
Useful Instructions Are
Given by Komroff
Manuel Komroff, himself a good stylist, offers .
excellent advice to writers. His "How to Write
a Novel" (Simon-Schuster) is excellent from all
conceivable points of view. It guides writers
along mechanical lines as well as character-
delinations, dialogues, style structures and scores
of other details.
By example, by using numerous quotations,
by - actual exhibits, Komroff guides the aspiring
writer to understand copyright laws and appli-
cations, libel laws, proofreading, where to begin
and how to proceed, and numerous other details.
There is an excellent chapter on the novelist and
his reader and the relationship between the
two.
In its entirety, it is an excellent work. Even
those who do not aspire to write novels will en-
joy reading the book because of the fascinating
descriptions of character studies and because of
the interesting examples quoted to prove the
author's points.
Facts You Should Know .. .
Why is it customary to give a proselyte the
name of Abraham?
Abraham, the first Jew, was really a proselyte
himself. He changed his faith from that of his
father's to the faith which later came to be
called the -faith of Israel. A male convert to the
Jewish faith is thus given the name Abraham
just in case any Jew by birth should question his
rank in Israel. The convert can always point to
the fact that the very first Jew was himself a
convert and that he has the distinction of com-
ing to the faith in the very same manner as the
common ancestor of all 'Jews: This certainly was
a commendable method of making all Jews feel
equal.